Executives...FYI.

A new batter being developed by USDA/ARS researchers could reduce the amount of oil in fried chicken, fish and other foods that otherwise add fat to our diets. The new batter is made from rice flour rather than wheat and absorbs 60% less oil when fried. The difference is in the chemical constituents of the two grains. Wheat flour, the chief ingredient in standard commercial batters, helps give fried chicken its moist, golden coat and mouth-watering flavor. But gluten, an important wheat flour protein, binds tightly with oil, so more is absorbed into food. That's less of a problem with the rice-based batters, thanks to the grain's different proteins, starch and other components. Scientists had noticed that the rice batter didn't properly fluff up and stick to chicken meat. But they overcame that problem by modifying the rice with several processing techniques. Contact: Fred Shih, USDA/ARS Southern Regional Research Center, 1100 Robert E. Lee Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70124. Phone: [phone]. Fax: [phone].